Clogged Drain Cleaning in Oregon

The causes of a clogged drain change from one part of Oregon to the next. Older neighborhoods have cast iron and clay sewer lines under big trees, newer subdivisions mostly see grease and wipes in PVC pipe, and many rural homes depend on a septic tank. Look for your city below, or the nearest one. Each city page has a rough cost range, a look at what local soil and trees do to drains, and one number that connects you with a local plumber.

Older homes in Oregon often drain through clay sewer pipe laid decades ago, and roots from Douglas firs, bigleaf maples and street trees grow into its joints. West of the Cascades, months of rain and heavy valley clay keep the ground soaked, which strains septic drain fields. Some older city neighborhoods still have combined sewers. East of the mountains, the water is harder, winters are colder and frost can freeze shallow lines. A camera inspection is the best way to tell roots from a broken pipe.

• A long rainy season west of the Cascades
• Roots from firs, bigleaf maples and street trees
• Older clay sewer pipe
• Colder winters and harder water east of the mountains
• Septic systems at many rural homes

Ask whether your sewer line needs root cutting only or a repair, and whether the camera footage shows which.

• Kitchen sink. Cooking grease and oil that cool and harden on the pipe wall, plus food scraps, coffee grounds and soap scum that stick to it. A garbage disposal sends more solids down, not fewer.
• Bathroom sink. Hair mixed with soap, toothpaste and shaving residue, caught on the pop-up stopper or in the trap. Small items dropped down the drain add to it.
• Tub or shower. Hair is the main cause, bound together with soap scum and conditioner. Older tubs with a trip lever drain collect it in the overflow and the drum trap.
• Toilet. Too much paper at once, wipes labeled flushable, paper towels, cotton swabs, dental floss and toys. Low-flow toilets from before about 2005 clog more often.
• Floor or laundry drain. Lint from the washing machine, sand and grit, soap, and in basements the silt that washes in. A dry trap lets sewer gas up as well.
• Main sewer line. Tree roots coming in at joints in clay and cast iron pipe, grease built up from years of kitchen use, wipes, and pipe that has sagged or cracked.
• Outdoor or yard drain. Leaves, dirt, sand and roots in yard drains, area drains, driveway trench drains and the pipes that carry downspout water away.